Summery Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Peruvian Pisco Punch
Pisco Punch made with a traditional Peruvian Pisco is the ideal big batch drink to celebrate a warm-weather happy hour. The key ingredient in the classic recipe is gum syrup (an emulsifier using gum arabic that may be difficult to source). When made from scratch, this ingredient wouldn’t exactly work for our 10-minute happy hour, but I easily fixed the problem.
I simply substituted simple syrup for the gum syrup — equal parts water and sugar, warmed over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and then cooled before hitting the cocktail shaker or the punch bowl. The point of the gum syrup is to sweeten the punch and give it a nice round body, and for a quick cocktail, simple syrup does just as good a job.
So invite your friends over, put out some popcorn, and pour up a pitcher for a 10-minute happy hour that’s a perfect ending to your week.
We’ve had the discussion in the past on Chilean Pisco vs. Peruvian — do you have a favorite?
Peruvian Pisco Punch
Serves 10 to 12
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
bottle of Peruvian Pisco (750 ml)
- 1/2
small pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into bite size pieces (about 2 to 3 cups)
- 10 ounces
(about 1 1/4 cups) simple syrup
- 1 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
- 1
small lime sliced into wheels, for garnish
- 1/2
lemon sliced into wheels, for garnish
Ice
Instructions
In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Add ice to fill the pitcher, stir to combine, and serve.
This post was requested by curleesue for Reader Request Week 2013.
(Images: Maureen Petrosky)